A host of art school advice from four top creative names

Earlier this week we mined our collective knowledge to see what advice we could offer those starting out at art school this autumn. Then we realised why stop there – what about all the amazing creatives we know and love around the world; what advice would they give those embarking on this exciting, and sometimes scary new chapter? So over the next few weeks we’re going to hear from a whole host of them, starting today with Jon Burgerman, Stefan Sagmeister, Carol Morley and Johnny Kelly…

I didn’t start at Central Saint Martins till I was 24 and it was at a point when I was more
than happy to leave the “real” world and know what I was going to be doing for the next three years. I studied Fine Art Film and Video and loved it. It changed my life. 

I suppose I wish I’d known that it was going to change my life, that it really was determining a future, unimaginable path. I think back then I lived in a state of constant anxiety that I would graduate and return to a world of unemployment or work without the kind of purpose I needed! I wish I’d relaxed a little bit more and just experienced the times I was living through and the changes that were happening, both to the world and to me.

I was lucky because I went to college when there were grants and only small student loans, while nowadays there is that added burden of student debt. But, despite the pressures of how you’re going to finance your college days, my advice would be to grab every moment, every opportunity, every friendship and experience all of your student days passionately. They’re about to shape your future….

www.campfilms.co.uk

I studied Fine Art and worried massively about what I’d “be” once I graduated. What box would I fit into as I was interested in working in lots of different media? Would I be considered an artist, or an animator, or a designer, or an illustrator, or a… etc etc?
 
I get emails from students similarly hung up on this. Doing an arts course I think you should feel free to experiment and try as many things as seems right for you. Once you graduate it’s not really relevant what course you were on – all that matters is that you’re interesting, exciting and ready to go!

And avoid eating Pot Noodles.

www.jonburgerman.com

Try out as many things as possible. Jump from one thing to another. Don’t worry about developing your own style, this will come by itself. 

www.sagmeisterwalsh.com

• Use the 3D printer! Or the kiln, knitting machine or other exciting, expensive and dangerous resources that the other courses are using. Don’t be afraid to nose through fashion, ceramics or psychotherapy and see what you can learn/pilfer. I wish I had seen more talks and films from other courses too.

• Don’t read graphic design blogs (if you’re studying graphic design) – same goes for architecture, fine art or anything else. Or at least don’t read them exclusively. Open your brain; there’s a whole world to be discovered that will help make your work unique.

• Take a year out. Working in a graphic design studio for a year after second year was the best thing I did. Going back to university after a year in the cut-throat industry was a welcome relief too (I understand this might be trickier if you are studying dentistry).

• Make time to use the library; for one thing you’ll never have access to that many magazine subscriptions again.

• Harangue your tutors to get your favourite illustrator or whatever in for a talk. Irma Boom came to visit our course in Dublin and it was a game changer.

• Learn Maya! Or Premiere, basically don’t wait to be taught software; learn it yourself with some online tutorials. Being able to model something in 3D, edit a video or use Photoshop will be useful no matter where you end up (again, dentistry doesn’t apply here)…

www.mickeyandjohnny.com

Back to School
Throughout the month of October we’ll be celebrating the well-known autumnal feeling of Back to School. The content this month will be focusing on fresh starts, education, learning tools and the state of art school in the world today – delivered to you via fantastic in-depth interviews, features and conversations with talented, relevant, creative people.